If the best mouth guard for you is the one that nearly doesn’t restrict you from breathing and talking, then SISU Aero may be the right pick for you. In fact, such a mouth guard would be necessary for sports with a lot of talking like football.

The Aero mouth guard is light since it is only 1.6mm thick, which is actually very thin. The thickness is one thing that makes this mouth guard highly comfortable in the mouth and allows for freer talking and breathing.

This product also has several crumple zones and holes to increase shock absorption and comfort during wear.

While the Aero mouth guard is a very comfy model, it isn’t very protective. It will protect you from lighter blows and impacts, but probably not from high-power punches.

Because of this, the Aero would be a better choice for fighters who are absolutely confident in their defense and want comfort rather than protection.

The holes in the mouth guard may also be problematic. Some users complained that they are abrasive, not to mention that impacts may cause your lips to get stuck in them.

If protection is a priority for you in a mouth guard, then Shock Doctor Gel Max may be a nice pick for you. In fact, if you tend to take a lot of blows to your head, then this might be the best mouth guard for MMA and alike.

Unlike the slim Aero, Shock Doctor is thick and heavy. Its frame is made from thick and heavy-duty rubber, so when it comes to protection, this mouth guard is far superior to the Aero.

We can’t say the same for comfort. Obviously, because this mouth guard is so bulky, it won’t be as comfortable to wear.

In fact, it’s so bulky that it caused the gag reflex in some users, though this doesn’t mean that it will cause it for you.

Lastly, Shock Doctor offers a $10.000 dental warranty with this mouth guard. Not as much as with the Aero mouth guard but still decent.

Venum Challenger mouth guard is a good option if you are on a limited budget, which earns it the title of the best cheap mouthguard. However, cheap isn’t equal to low quality in this product.

While the two mouth guards we reviewed were in the extreme – either very comfortable or very protective – the Challenger is a more balanced model.

It isn’t as thick as the Shock Doctor mouth guard, but it still offers an adequate protection level thanks to its dense rubber frame. The lower portion of the frame is designed to disperse the shock of the impact on the stronger teeth.

The Challenger mouth guard is fairly good in terms of comfort as well. It isn’t very thick, and besides, it has breathing channels in it to make wearing more comfortable.

A thing that you should keep in mind though is that this mouth guard apparently is rather small. Adults should thus be more cautious with this mouth guard and pick a larger size.

A good thing about this mouth guard is that Venum includes a protective case with it, so you won’t have to get it separately.

Venum Predator mouth guard is a bit more durable and protective than the Challenger but about as comfortable.

The frame of the Predator is also made from high-density rubber, but it is different. Its dual-core design does the same thing – disperses the shock towards the stronger areas of the jaw – but more efficiently.

The durability of the Predator is also superior to that of the Challenger thanks to its multi-layer construction.

When it comes to comfort, the Predator is pretty comparable with the Challenger, albeit it may be less comfy because it is bulkier. However, it has the same breathing channels in it, so breathing in this thing should be as easy.

Once again, Venum includes a protective case with their mouth guard.

Before deciding whether to pick the Predator or not, keep in mind that it has the same sizing issues as the Challenger: it tends to be small, so you may want to order one size bigger.

How To Choose The Best MMA Mouth Protector?

Comfort vs Protection

Unfortunately, there isn’t any reliable way to know how protective or comfortable a mouth guard is. There are no numbers to compare those two specs reliably, so the only way to rate it is to wear it.

You could compare the weight and thickness of the guards, but they don’t represent the protection and comfort of a mouth guard fully. Still, you could and should take them into account.

So the thing that you’ll have to decide for yourself is how much protection and comfort you need. Or rather, you’ll need to choose which one you need more.

You probably won’t find a mouth guard that is both very protective and very comfortable. It is one or the other, so your task is to find the balance that is right for you.

Overall, it is your skill and the athletic discipline that determine what kind of a mouth guard you need.

For example, if you are a skilled boxer and don’t take that many hits to the head, you’d probably want a mouth guard that is more comfortable than protective. You wouldn’t need much protection, while the increased level of comfort could increase your performance.

On the other hand, if the specificities of your sport demand maximum protection, you would need to sacrifice the comfort for that protection.

We could bring numerous such examples, but instead, we’ll repeat this: your demands, sport, and skills determine what kind of a product you need.

Molding Technique

The molding technique of a mouth guard impacts its fit and comfort tremendously, so it’s a thing that you need to take into account as well.

The better and comfier the mold, the more expensive the mouth guard gets, so your budget plays a big role in choosing the appropriate technique.

There are three types of mouth guards based on the molding: instant-fit, boil-and-bite, and custom.

Instant-fit

As the name suggests, instant-fit mouth guards don’t require any molding. You just wear them with no preparation.

Needless to say, the main benefit of such mouth guards is that they are the cheapest. And besides, you don’t spend any second on molding.

On the other hand, instant-fit mouth guards have the poorest fit. Because of this, we think that athletes should avoid such mouth guards.

None of the reviewed mouth guards are instant-fit.

Boil-and-bite

The majority of the available mouth guards are molded with the boil-and-bite technique. 4 out of 5 mouth guards we reviewed are boil-and-bite.

With this technique, you basically boil the mouth guard in water until it softens and then bite into it to make an impression of your teeth. If you do things right, you’ll get a perfect fit.

The keyword here is “if”.

The thing is that depending on your experience and skill, you may get a perfect fit on the first try or may just make the mouth guard unusable after several attempts. This hassle is the worst thing about boil-and-bite mouth guards.

However, they aren’t very expensive, so athletes with a limited budget may want to opt for them.

By the way, before spending money on a boil-and-bite mouth guard, you should try to practice molding on cheaper mouthpieces, if possible. Practicing on very cheap mouthpieces is much better and money-efficient than ruining several pricey ones.

Custom

For the best fit and minimal hassle, a custom mouthpiece is a superior choice. But they can be very, very expensive, especially if you involve a dentist in the job.

Thankfully, some manufacturers do the molding themselves, allowing you to avoid paying ridiculous amounts of money for the process, though their mouth guards will still be pricey.

With custom-fit mouth guards, you receive a molding kit, make an impression of your teeth, and send it back to the manufacturer. The Impact Custom mouth guard we reviewed is made with this technique.

As a result, you get an excellent fit, but be ready to pay the price for it.

Brace compatibility

If you are wearing braces, then you’ll need to make sure that the desired mouthpiece can be worn with them. Most mouth guards do support braces, but you should make sure just in case.

FAQ

Can you wear an athletic mouthpiece as a night guard?

You could do that, but bear in mind that an athletic mouth guard may not be very suitable for preventing teeth grinding, especially if it is thick. Make sure to consult a doctor for this.

How many times can you remold a mouth guard?

Generally, up to 20 times, but the actual number will depend on how careful you are. You may irreparably damage a mouth guard from just 1 molding, so be careful.

Conclusion

Getting the best mouth guard isn’t an easy task. Many people go through several models before finding the right one, so be prepared for that as well.

However, you really need to use a couple of mouth guards to understand what kind of protection and comfort you need. One mouth guard may work for others but not for you, so be ready to try as many mouth guards as necessary.

But if you are confused and don’t know with what to start we got you covered – our #1 recommendation is Venum Predator. For a simple reason – it is both comfortable and protective and will get you the job done in the majority of cases.

And if you’ve decided to start with one of the mouth guards we reviewed, then don’t hesitate and go get it! There is only so much research you could do online, so try not to waste any time.